Tue May 06 06:59:59 UTC 2025: **Kerala Withdraws Case Against Governor, But Centre Objects**
NEW DELHI, May 6, 2025 – The state of Kerala attempted to withdraw its Supreme Court case against its Governor for delaying crucial Bills on Tuesday, citing a recent April 8th ruling that mandates Governors and the President decide on state Bills within three months. However, the central government vehemently opposed the withdrawal, arguing that Kerala’s case differed from a similar one in Tamil Nadu and requested an adjournment to further study the constitutional issues involved.
Kerala’s senior advocate, K.K. Venugopal, argued that the April 8th judgment rendered Kerala’s petition infructuous, as the ruling applies to all states. He emphasized the state’s right to withdraw its own case, calling the Centre’s opposition “quite strange.”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, countered that states cannot lightly file or withdraw such petitions against Governors. He insisted on a deeper examination of the matter, leading the Supreme Court to adjourn the hearing until next week.
The April 8th judgment interpreted Article 200 of the Constitution, setting time limits for gubernatorial assent to state bills. The court warned that failure to comply with these deadlines would invite judicial review. Kerala’s case, dating back over two years, involved eight Bills delayed for months. While one Bill was subsequently assented to, the remaining seven were referred to the President. The Centre had previously argued that the facts of Kerala’s case differed from Tamil Nadu’s, which involved a similar delay by the Governor.
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